Access to dental care across the UK is set for a major boost after the government announced plans to significantly expand the number of dentists able to practise in the country. The initiative is designed to increase appointments, reduce waiting times and strengthen NHS dentistry for patients nationwide.
At the heart of the plan is a major expansion of professional registration exams, which currently limit how many overseas-qualified dentists can work in the UK. Many fully trained dentists already living in the country have been unable to practise due to the restricted number of exam places. By increasing capacity, the government expects around 2,400 overseas-trained dentists a year to join the UK register by 2028-29.
One key step is the expansion of the Licence in Dental Surgery (LDS) exam run by the Royal College of Surgeons of England. Final exam places will increase almost tenfold, rising from 180 to around 1,800 places by 2028. This alone could allow up to 1,350 overseas dentists each year to join the General Dental Council register and start treating patients in the UK.
Alongside this, the Overseas Registration Exam (ORE) run by the General Dental Council will also expand. The clinical exam will grow to 1,500 places, enabling more than 1,000 additional dentists annually to enter the workforce through this route.
The government is also investing in home-grown talent. For the first time in nearly two decades, dental school places in England will increase, training 50 additional dentists each year from 2027. These new training spots will be prioritised in areas often described as “dental deserts” – regions where patients struggle most to secure appointments.
Together, these changes represent one of the biggest efforts in years to strengthen the UK dental workforce. By combining international recruitment with expanded training at home, the plan aims to put more patients in dental chairs and improve access to care across the country.
